How do muslims feel about Christmas?

[HardlyEverHoovers]

Not looking for explanations of why people do or don't celebrate Christmas or anything like that, just curious, as we don't celebrate Christmas but I still kind of enjoy the general atmosphere, as I have lots of happy childhood memories of Christmas. Have been enjoying cold evening walks and looking at the x-mas lights people have in their windows, and also enjoy the different sorts of foods in the supermarket at this time of year.
Also feel rather sorry for Christians who's festival has been hijacked by commercialism!
How do others feel, if you care to share?

I grew up in Dubai and the (overwhelmingly muslim) population seemed to love the decorations, the seasonal food (picture roasted chestnuts when it's 26 degrees outside ) and doling out cards and gifts to all the christians of their acquaintance.

Muslims like a bit of goodwill too

On a personal note, my dad is muslim and my mum christian. For several years Christmas overlapped with Ramadan, so we fasted all day and ate Christmas lunch at sunset. It didn't sound weird until I told people about it in the UK!

One of my Muslim friends is so excited about the Chistmas present he ha bought my DS he asks every time we see him, 'can I give it to him yet! Can I give it to him yet!'

His DP has also done the most professional job at decorating their tree!

I havn't asked him what he thinks about Christmas though so I shall next time I see him :)

Herrena that's hilarious about breaking your fast with Christmas dinner. I once went on an Islamic retreat over Christmas where they served halal turkey on Christmas day.

We have Muslim friends with whom we exchange cards and sometimes gifts and some who are very happy to be given cards but don't send them themselves. I can only speak for the Muslims I have spoken to about it but as they see Jesus as a prophet they are generally positive about celebrating his birth.

I am a church going Christian but I don't in any way feel that Christmas has been hijacked by anyone, I am very aware that 25th December isn't biblical, it was a convenient day to celebrate and was a hijacking of Pagan celebrations. If anything I feel a little guilty that 'we' were the ones doing the hijacking.

OldBoots very nice to hear your perspective on Christmas, I'd never thought of it that way.

I think Christmas certainly prompts me to think about the Prophet Jesus more than I would at other times of the year.

I'm an atheist, DH is a Muslim and we both love Christmas - as do my New Age father, my mildly agnostic mother and my nothing-really-but-Buddhism-is-so-cool sister.

Even my devoutly Muslim PIL do a Christmas lunch. They justify it by calling it a tradition rather than a religious thing.

Also feel rather sorry for Christians who's festival has been hijacked by commercialism!

Don't, they nicked it from the Pagans. The main Christian festival is Easter (and that name was nicked as well).

I find Xmas trees quite sinister - origionally sacrifices were hung from trees, and they were not chocolate.

There are millions of muslims and I think there is a great variation in how it is percieved.

Even Christians do not do the same things, the Orthodox churches don't celebrate it until january.

The important thing to me is a celebration to mark the turning of the year, we're now well into the miserable few weeks when it's dark when you leave for work/school and dark by the time you start back home again.

Herrena your Ramadan fast breaker for Christmas Day is truly wonderful!

Crescentmoon, do you have any issues with your kids over not celebrating xmas?

As a child Eid for me was about new clothes and money but it was a generally boring time and I used to envy the toys and games my friends got for Xmas! So i was very mindful to make it much more different for when I had children and I think alhamdulliah they are satisfied by the time Xmas comes round.

Sister crescentmoon Very useful post indeed specially for first generation immigrant Muslims whose children have a very different experience of brought up in a multi-faith society.